I mean, it’s understandable when you see it from a guy like that. Since that perfect season Miami players and coaches have celebrated the accomplishment every time it is not repeated. It is their own special club that everyone else gets to be pissed off at.

Enter the Patriots.

Suddenly there is a team that looks more than capable of running the table in an even more impressive fashion. (Keep in mind there are now more games to play to remain perfect) As the gatekeeper and leader of that only perfect squad, Shula is the person most threatened by Dreamboat and company’s dominance.

Shula’s comments are simply a proud old man grasping at the threads of a major part of his legacy.

In no way am I discrediting Shula, he was a great coach that will be long remembered in NFL lore. However, it seems that he too was caught up in the Patriots witch hunt to start the season; and now that they are a real threat he feels the situation needs to be restated.

The truth is that no one needs to hear it. If anything, Shula’s tampering case should be brought up more often when discussing the ’72 Dolphins. It is not an accusation, but a fact. The commissioner decided compensation needed to be awarded and took away a draft pick in both cases. From that point on it is a non issue, and only public opinion is left up to debate. From a competitive standpoint there is no argument.

It is interesting to see that the Colt’s tampering case is not widely remembered today. In 1970 the overreaction machine (ESPN) was not in place to churn that story into a monster like the signal stealing episode was. (“Spygate” is a horrible, incorrect name) It makes me wonder if anyone will remember the controversy of opening day in the Meadowlands 30+ years from now.

Personally, I don’t want to be the one crying foul about, and I don’t think Shula will want to either. Besides, he is already on some crazy Cuban currency. Isn’t that enough?